News about Sikh and Punjab Heritage in India and Pakistan

With the successive governments caring little about preserving heritage buildings, a historic mansion of Sikh general Mangal Singh Ramgarhia, who was in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army, has been reportedly demolished by its new owner at Kucha Mangal Singh Ramgarhia area of the city.

The historic Gobindgarh Fort Amritsar, a legacy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is all set to be put on International Tourist circuit as it will dedicate to the tourists in the September after completion of its first phase of restoration.

Stating this here today, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Punjab said that the conservation work of the fort has been started in a phased work and the first phase has already been completed with the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank. The Minister said that the Fort would be opened to the Public on the eve of World Tourism Day in September and would remain opened for three days a week. Continue reading “Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Gobindgarh Fort to be thrown open in September”

The Dilapidated Gol Kothi, a heritage building, in Kapurthala. A Tribune PhotographThe building of Civil Rest House, built by Raja Randhir Singh in 1863, in a deplorable condition in Kapurthala. A Tribune Photograph

The heritage buildings in the district lying in a deplorable condition are likely to receive a face-lift soon as the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Board has decided to spend more than Rs 50 crore on the conservation and restoration of these buildings writes Arun Sharma in The Tribune.

A proposal of Rs 50.73 crore had been prepared for such works at Jagatjit Palace, Gol Kothi, Baghi Khana, Civil Rest House, Kanjali wet land and parks and roads at Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi.

The renovated 16th century architecture of Rohtas Fort will give a boost to local and foreign tourism and promote the heritage of Muslim history.
The fortified complex has been renovated under a project for maintenance and upgrading of heritage structure and visitor facilities at the Fort funded by the USAID’s Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Programme (SGAFP) as goodwill gesture from the American people. Continue reading “Renovated Rohtas Fort to boost tourism”

The Punjab government on Friday asked the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to formulate a heritage conservation policy for the state. A delegation from UNESCO led by co-chairpersons Richard Engelhardt and Sudha Pillai called on chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to discuss the project that is likely to be finalised by May 31 next year.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has handed over the kar sewa (voluntary service) of cleaning discoloured and damaged gold plating of Golden Temple to Baba Kashmir Singh Bhuriwale. Earlier, for the last 14 years, the sewa was regularly being performed by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, Birmingham, UK. The jatha had performed the kar sewa of regilding of gold plating of Golden Temple from 1995 to 1999. With the onslaught of weather, the gold plating had faded on various areas of dome and exterior as well as interior of the Golden Temple and these required continuous cleaning and repairs. “There are some black spots on the gold plating which need to be washed and for that we have given kar sewa to Baba Kashmir Singh Bhuriwale,” said secretary, Golden Temple, Roop Singh, while talking to TOI on Friday.

Punjab government accorded approval to the project for restoration of unique murals created by the internationally acclaimed Pakistani artist, the late Sadiqain, which have been displayed on the ceiling of Lahore Museum.

The project to safeguard this national heritage from the effects of humidity and weather conditions will be accomplished with the technical assistance of an Indian NGO ‘Intach’ which has expertise in conservation work of this nature. The project will cost around four million rupees.

The Punjab government on Tuesday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that it proposed to spend Rs.100 crore, received from the Centre, for preserving century-old heritage across the state, including conservation of buildings such as Patiala’s Qila Mubarak.

The information was submitted during resumed hearing of a case in which justice Ranjit Singh of the high court had taken a serious note of media reports highlighting the state government’s apathy in preserving heritage buildings such as Qila Mubarak in Patiala and the Patiala central jail.

The carpet industry in Rajasansi, that only a few decades ago would supply high-quality carpets to Europe and Russia, has lost its sheen owing to government apathy writes Manmeet Singh Gill in The Tribune

The town and surrounding villages, employing hundreds of skilled weavers, would export 1.5 lakh square feet of carpet to European countries every month till 1995.

“Now, the people know Rajasansi for its international airport. But long before that, it was known for hand-knotted carpets.” said Giani Joginder Singh, an artisan, who is now a middleman for various export houses. He claimed that production had declined drastically.

Patiala: Showing serious concern over dilapidating condition of heritage monument Qila Mubarak of Patiala, a team of experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICMOS) has questioned Punjab government’s inability to protect forts.

“Punjab has only a few forts, and Qila Mubarak is of utmost importance. The state must learn from Rajasthan which in the last 15 years has developed its forts and has managed to attract huge tourists from the across the globe. When Rajasthan can protect its sites, why can’t Punjab?” David Bassett, who led the three-member team, told HT. From Britain, Bassett is also a member of the International Fortress Council.

Although 40 members of the ICMOS had originally come to Rajasthan to visit the forts in the state, some of them visited Patiala after an invitation by local NGO Patiala Our Pride and Malwinder Singh, a scion of the erstwhile royal family of Patiala.

Punjab Heritage News

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